Testimonies

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Restoration through Imprisonment
The Book of Ezra

When the term imprisonment is used, I do not think of a man in prison, I think of a man isolated from the rest of the world by his problems. See as a society we define man by his faults, when someone drinks to much he’s called an alcoholic, when he uses drugs excessively he’s called a pot or crack head. Yet even when people get help they are still terms used like recovering alcoholic, labeling them for things they’ve done in the past.

When you look at the mirror what looks back at you? Was it that cheerful child with dreams of becoming an astronaut, so full of life and promise of a great future? Or is it something else? Can you even recognize the person that is shown to you? For most of us our reflection shows not only how we feel about ourselves, but the direction our lives are taking as well.

There are two perspectives, the child’s and the adult’s. The adults are filled with more questions, while the child’s is filled with more promise. As adults life has this vacuuming grip on our lives, taking up most of our time through things that really have no meaning or bearing. Thinking of Christmas when people are running around aimless just so another box is placed under a tree.

Why the rat race? What purpose does it shows those that if we can’t keep up in the race then what is the point of running it? Why do we hide behind shadows of our selves, afraid that if the real person comes out the ultimate fear of rejection will be realized in our lives will spiral out of control? Our way of allowing ourselves to not become who we want to be. Hiding instead hoping that we can only be acceptable for the lifeless shadow that we’ve become lurking in the background of human existence. Of course there is another way, a way so riddle with fear that its boundaries are unknown because the fear is too great. Why would I want to confront that person in the mirror?

The definition of insanity is repeating the same thing over again and expecting a different result, yet millions of us are living our lives in this vain pursuit of attention and acceptance by people who we don’t want or we don’t need in our lives. People who only want you for their own gain, for their glorification. And if we’re lucky enough to find people who actually care for us, we hide behind some shadow, afraid to let the true person come out. Afraid that we might actually be accepted for who we are, faults and all. Now take the child’s perspective.

The child sees no fear; instead he is reliant on his parent. He trusts his parent to take care of him and knows the future is safe because there is that level of trust there. Not only does he have hope in the future, he knows it’s ok to make mistakes, knowing that through mistakes forgiveness is found, lessons are learned, and love only grows deeper. It’s not the intention of the mistakes that brings love closer, but the realization of it. That through fault of his own he has someone who will be there and love him regardless of what has happened, regardless of what he has done past, present, and future.

The child sees hope because there is freedom in growth, freedom to make mistakes and to learn from them. There is no gaining acceptance; it has already been given, unearned through any effort of the part of the child. The truth is the child knows who he is because of the love given to him and the trust he shares with his parent.

The child never dies inside of us, we just forget about it. When we look in the mirror we are looking for anyway we can to bring that out, to find that acceptance and love, to find forgiveness and freedom to move on. The secret is we have had it the entire time. We just forgot about it. No matter how hard life is, no matter what sin you struggle with, or no matter how people treat you, you are accepted for who you are. You can live in freedom knowing it isn’t the mistakes that define you but you’re potential. Do this for me, instead of looking in the mirror and wishing you were skinnier, prettier, taller, smaller, whatever it is, write one thing good about yourself everyday and add it to your mirror. After a few weeks the child’s perspective will return and you will not only see what the child sees, but what God sees as well.

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